2006 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Pessac-Leognan 750 ml

When Guillaume-Alexandre shows up at our offices we cancel our meetings, clear our calendars and head straight to lunch (no matter what time it is) because Guillaume-Alexandre is the sales manager for Domaine Clarence Dillon, the family company behind two of the most revered wineries in Bordeaux—Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion. So whatever is in his bag is unquestionably more important than any standing appointment.

Guillaume-Alexandre found the bone-chilling San Francisco fog “refreshing” after his country’s record-breaking summer heatwave, so he wanted to eat lunch al fresco. We indulged him since nothing pairs better with Bordeaux than broody weather anyway. Which is why we recently found ourselves braving a frigid June afternoon seated outside overlooking the San Francisco Bay at The Ferry Plaza’s famous Hog Island Oyster Co., and why today we have this 97 point pre-arrival—with perfect provenance straight from the winery—to share directly with you. 

Everything in his bag was well worth the extra scarves, but one wine managed to make us completely forget the cold while simultaneously multiplying our goosebumps: the 2006 Château La Mission Haut-Brion. We quickly fell silent as we took in the myriad layers of ripe black currant, black cherry, leather, crushed violet, sweet pipe tobacco, toasted vanilla, sassafras, and tilled earth. We looked at Guillaume-Alexandre, agape, as he nodded with a knowing smile and waited for us to take our first sip. It didn’t disappoint.

Intense on the palate, the ripe black fruit and tobacco unfolded into savory licorice and muscular leather, flecked with hints of luxurious black truffle and the minerally quartz component that comes straight from La Mission Haut Brion’s famous soils. Powdery soft tannins and a tense yet balanced acidity have allowed this 2006 to age with such structure and poise that we wondered aloud whether this vintage—which Robert Parker called “a surprisingly good year for the finest terroirs”—was a legitimate rival to the celebrated 2005.

Master of Wine Jancis Robinson describes La Mission as "the quintessential insider's wine,” as it’s often overlooked in favor of its slightly more famous (and flashy) First Growth peers. We know better, and after one inhale of its powerful bouquet, we were reminded of exactly why La Mission Haut-Brion stands with the best of the Left Bank.

Compared to La Mission’s 2005 (which averages $660) or even the 2010 ($950), this is a downright steal for any serious collector. And honestly? It might be the better wine, with Parker going on to say,“One of the vintage's top wines is the 2006 La Mission-Haut-Brion.” Decanter agreed, rating it 97 points and breathlessly claiming it’s “so powerful it almost lulls you into a false sense of security.”

The quality should have come as no surprise, La Mission Haut-Brion (or “La Mish” to its ardent devotees) is the sister property directly adjacent to Haut-Brion, the storied 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé. It benefits from the same historic third-generation Dillon family stewardship, as well as three generations of direct management under the Delmas family, not to mention the same First Growth terroir and unique Pessac-Léognan micro-climate.

Due to its wind-protected suburban location, the vineyard is usually a couple of degrees warmer on average than its neighbors. That, and its well-draining sandy soils, which are uniquely full of gravel and quartz, give the wine “a precocious and early-maturing style” according to Parker. 

For over 600 years, this wine has charmed royalty, beguiled founding fathers, and seduced the world’s most prominent wine critics with its trademark elegance, complexity, and longevity. Parker famously wrote, “I have more bottles of La Mission-Haut-Brion in my private collection than any other wine in the world.”